Improvement in devices for forming spiral bed-springs



UNITED STATES PATENT QEEICE.

EDWIN L BUSHNELL, 0F POUGHKEEPSIE, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN DEVICES FOR FORMING SPIRAL BED-SPRINGS.

To all whom Iit may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWIN L. BUSHNELL, of Poughkeepsie, in the county ofDutchess and State of New York, have invented certain Improvements inDevices for Forming Spiral Bed- Springs, of which the following is aspecilication, reference being had to the accompanying draw- 111g.

My invention relates to devices to be used for forming the spiralsprings for mattresses, cushions, sofas, Ste., for which Letters Patentwere 'granted to me October 19, 1869, No. 95,984, and

reissued August 22, 1870, No. 4,103; and the devices consist, first, ina machine for -formin g the eyes or loops on the ends of the spring;and, second, in a clamp for holding the spring while the end of the wireis being fastened, so as to bring all the loops at the same distanceapart.

Figure 1 is a top-plan view of the machine for forming the loops.. Fig.2 is avertical section through the same on the line w a' of Fig. 1. Fig.3 is a vertical section of the same on the line y y. Fig. 4 is a view ofone end of a wire, with the four eyes formed therein, before it iscoiled into shape, Fig. 5, a top view of the spring completed; Figs. and7, respectively, a side and a top-plan view of the clamp for holding thespring while securing the end; and Fig. 8, a view of another device forforming open loops in the springs instead of the closed eyes, Fig. 9, anend view of the clamp for holding the springs.

The springs constructed on my plan are provided on each end with foureyes or loops to receive the cords or clasps for holding them inposition, the loops being formed by bending the last or end coil at theproper points. The purpose of my first device is to form these loops ofa uniform size and shape and at the proper distances apart.

In constructing the machine I first provide a flat bed or table, A, andmount it upon legs and secure to its top near one end an upright stud,a, ofthe form of the inside of the desired eye or loop. Under the tableI pivot an elbow lever, B, having one end turned up through a slot inthe table by the side of stud a., as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. I alsopivot in hangers d, secured to the under side of the table, an uprightlever, G, the lower end of which is provided with an arm or stirrup, c,so that it can be operated by the foot. The upper end of the lever Cpasses up through a slot in lever B and another in the table, and it isprovided with a transverse pin, c, which bears against inclined notchesj' cut in the under side of the horizontal arm of lever B, as shown inFig. 2. Vhen the lower end of lever C is shoved back the pin e, workingunder the inclines j', raises the back end of the lever B and forces itsupright arm against the stud c so as to hold the wire firmly in pla-cewhen inserted between them. On the table I mount upon the same pivot gtwo swinging jaws or dogs, E, each connected, by a link, t, with theupper end of lever C, as shown in Figs. l and 2, so as to be operatedthereby. When the lower end of lever C is drawn forward, as shown inFig. 2, the forward ends of the jaws are opened so as to be back of thestud a and the end of arm B is back from the stud. As the lower end ofthe lever O is forced back the arm B has its end f'orced against thestud and the jaws E have their front ends carried around on oppositesides of the stud, which is thus encircled by the jaws. On the table, infront of the stud a., I secure a curved plate, G, provided withshoulders or notches to support the wire and hold it in position whilehaving the loops bent in it. I also secure to the table by a screw aslotted plate or gauge, L, having an upright pin or stud, l. When theloops are to be formed in the wire, previous to coiling it, it is laidacross the ends of plate G between the stud a and the upright end of armB, and then the lower end of lever G pushed back with the foot. lhenthis is done the arm B clamps the wire against the stud a and the endsof the jaws bend tightly around the stud. Upon drawing forward the leverand removing the Wire the latter will be found to have a'perfeet loop oreye formed in it. After forming the first eye the wire is drawn forwardand the eye hooked onto the pin of gauge L, and then the lever forcedback so as to form a second loop, and so on repeatedly until all fourloops are formed. In this manner the eyes or loops are formed at equaldistances apart, the distance being regulated by adjusting the gauge Lnearer to or further from the stud a. It is obvious that the wire may becoiled int-o a spring and the loops formed afterward, but it is notconsidered desirable so to do. Each end of the wire of which the springis formed I secure by bending or twisting it tightly around the end ofthe next or second coil, as shown in Fig. 5,

this being the common manner of fastening them in all this class ofsprings. If the end is not ,secured at exactly the proper point thefirst and the last of the four loops will not be at the proper distanceapart. I therefore provide a device for holding said eyes in positionWhile the end of the wire is being fastened. The contrivance, asillustrated in Figs. '6, 7, and 9, lconsists of a vise or clamp, O, oneof the jaws of which is provided with a bar, s, extending above andbelow the i jaw, as shown, the two ends of the bar being bent forward,and being at the same distance apart as that required between the loopsor eyes.

In using the device the first of the four eyes is slipped onto one endofthe bar and the last eye onto the other end, and then the vise isclosed so as to hold the end and the second coil of the wire, as shownin Fig. 9. In this manner the two eyes are held at the proper distanceapart, and the end and the second coil held together, so that, by theuse of a suitableinstrument, thew end may be wound fast. When openinstead of close loops' are to be formed in the wire, a device such asshown in Fig. 8 may be used instead of the machine previously described.rlhis last device consists of a lever, T, pivoted so as to close downbetween two side blocks or cheeks, U, the wire being' laid across thetwo blocks and then the lever turned down so as to bend the wire downbetween the blocks. The lever is provided on top with a plate, w, toprevent the wire from bending or curling up.

If desired, this device may be mounted in an upright position on atable, the lever T being extended down through the same, so that it canbe operated by the foot.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim isl. The combination ofthe stud c, clamp B, and jaws E, with the mechanism to operate saidclamp and jaws, constructed and arranged to operate substantially asdescribed.

